From Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
The Yobe State Government has stepped up its fight against the rising tide of drug abuse, unveiling plans to establish a dedicated Drug Abuse Control Agency to strengthen prevention, treatment and rehabilitation across the state.
The move follows mounting concern over escalating drug-related crimes, the prohibitive cost of rehabilitation and the absence of functional treatment centres within Yobe. Speaking with journalists in Damaturu, the State Focal Person on Drug Abuse Control, Malam Hassan Jakusko, said the proposed agency would provide the legal and institutional backbone required to confront the menace in a coordinated and sustainable manner.
Jakusko noted that Governor Mai Mala Buni has repeatedly identified drug abuse as a major social and security threat, backing the agency as a critical intervention to protect young people and restore social stability. The governor recently reiterated this stance at the Machina Annual Cultural Festival 2026, warning that substance abuse could become socially tolerated if left unchecked.
According to Jakusko, a bill to establish the Drug Abuse Control Agency is currently before the Yobe State House of Assembly. Once passed, it will pave the way for local rehabilitation centres, community-based prevention programmes and improved access to affordable treatment.
He added that the agency is expected to work closely with the State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency and other stakeholders to integrate drug treatment into the state’s health system, reducing dependence on out-of-state facilities.
Statistics from the state paint a troubling picture: over 609 confirmed drug users urgently require rehabilitation, while more than 1,000 others need structured intervention. Drug abuse, Jakusko warned, is fuelling crime and social dislocation across Yobe’s 17 local government areas.
Calling on lawmakers to fast-track the bill, Jakusko described the agency’s establishment as a state emergency, expressing confidence that its passage would mark a major milestone in Yobe’s resolve to safeguard the future of its youth.
He lamented that patients are currently referred to Maiduguri Psychiatry Hospital for a minimum six-month programme costing over ₦600,000 per person—an expense many households cannot bear.
Jakusko commended members of the House of Assembly and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Sale Samanja, for their sustained efforts in tackling drug abuse, describing the proposed agency as a decisive step toward reclaiming Yobe’s communities from the grip of substance abuse.
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